By the time they reached the top landing the Volunteers were down to just a handful. They decided to fall back up to the roof again.
WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO A HOSPITAL IF THEY’RE TO HAVE ANY CHANCE.
WE SURRENDER. WE HAVE WOUNDED IN NEED OF HOSPITAL TREATMENT.
I’M DR LYNN. THESE LADIES ARE NURSES.
WE TREAT THE WOUNDED, NOTHING ELSE. WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? I’LL NEED ALL YOUR NAMES. AND YOU YOUNG LADY, HOW MANY REBELS ARE UP ON THE ROOF.
IF YOU MEAN VOLUNTEERS, SIR, I WOULD SAY ABOUT A HUNDRED MEN..
WE’LL LEAVE THEM FREEZE UP THERE FOR THE NIGHT. THAT SHOULD KNOCK THE STUFFING OUT OF THEM.
MIGHT I SAY A WHOPPING GOOD IDEA SIR.
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By first light the few remaining Volunteers had melted away.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning a hundred British Troops managed to sneak into The Shelbourne Hotel.
They deployed machine guns on the upper floors overlooking Stephen’s Green. NOT POSSIBLE TO SIGHT A TARGET NOW. START SHOOTING AT FIRST LIGHT.
YES SIR, WILL DO THAT SIR.
In Stephen’s Green, Commandant Mallin had inexplicably dug in to the city centre park.
By first light, the Volunteers were clear targets for the troops above.
The trench cover offered no protection.
IT’S NO USE MEN, WE’RE JUST SITTING DUCKS OUT HERE, PULL BACK NOW!
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They left five Volunteers dead.
Having been pinned down in the Green for three hours Mallin and his men managed to escape to the College Of Surgeons.
The news about Stephen’s Green confirmed Plunkett’s fears but Pearse was still optimistic.
Then Fergus O’Kelly reported back on his efforts to repair the transmitter at the D.W.S.T.
SIR, THE TRANSMITTER IS NOW WORKING. WE CAN SEND MESSAGES.
...BUT OTHERWISE THE NEWS IS POSITIVE. YES, BUT THIS SETBACK COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
Connolly sent a message straight away.
WE CAN TELL THE WORLD WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.
Pearse was elated and gave a rallying speech to the Volunteers in the G.P.O. Greatly buoyed up they responded by singing ‘The Soldiers’ Song’.
AN IRISH REPUBLIC HAS BEEN DECLARED. MEN, WE ARE NOW TRANSMITTING TO THE WORLD AT LARGE.
DUBLIN IS FIRMLY HELD.
AN IRISH REPUBLIC HAS BEEN DECLARED AND WITH REINFORCEMENTS DUE WE CANNOT FAIL...
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Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, aboard a fishing vessel, a captain is interrupted… THAT MESSAGE WAS FROM IRELAND.
JUST A SECOND.
SEEMS THEY’VE RISEN UP AGAINST THE BRITS, DECLARED THEMSELVES A REPUBLIC.
THAT’S GREAT NEWS, MY DAD WAS IRISH. GOOD LUCK TO ‘EM!
LET’S PASS IT ON!
IRISH REPUBLIC DECLARED! FIGHTIN’ ON DUBLIN STREETS! READ IT HERE!
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While Plunkett was instructing Volunteers in the G.P.O on bomb making he had a visit from the wife of Thomas MacDonagh and sister of Grace.
SIR, THE WIFE OF COMMANDANT MACDONAGH TO SEE YOU.
DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO VISIT THOMAS AND HAVE YOU SEEN GRACE? HOW IS SHE?
AH SURE GRACE IS FINE. I’M ON MY WAY TO ThOMAS AT JACOBS NOW WITH THE NEWS.
HE WILL WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.
...SORRY THE GROOM DID NOT TURN UP ON SUNDAY BUT HE WILL MARRY her AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND MURIEL LISTEN BE CAREFUL. IT IS GETTING MORE HAZARDOUS IN THE CITY.
and can you TELL GRACE...
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Wednesday 26th April, 8AM The Helga, a British Fisheries Protection Vessel, anchored on the Liffey opposite The Custom House.
It trained its gun on Liberty Hall not knowing that the building was empty apart from a caretaker.
For an hour the British flattened the place.
The terrified caretaker managed to escape uninjured.
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Then the Helga turned her gun on Kelly’s Shop and with the two 18 pounders at Trinity College demolished it in flames.
Connolly was amazed as the shelling became more intense.
I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE CAPITALIST BRITAIN BOMBING THE CAPITALIST CENTre OF DUBLIN.
As the noose continued to tighten the first improvised armoured car appeared on Sackville St. The telephone lines were cut and BrennanWhitmore was forced to improvise.
WE MUST STRING A CORD ACROSS TO THE G.P.O.
I’LL GO, YOU NEED THE MEN HERE.
BE CAREFUL. TIE A SMALL CAN TO THE CORD, LOOP IT AROUND A PILLAR.
The street crossing was hazardous, but the cord was strung across from North Earl St. Contact was re-established.
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